Perfect Quinoa How To Make It

 

Quinoa

Ahhhhh fluffy nutty Quinoa as it should be! If there is one thing I know about this ancient grain (which is really a seed) is that it is so good for you and the package instructions do not do it any justice.  I don’t know about you but bland and mushy is not really my cup of tea.

Super quick and very easy to cook, Quinoa, also known as the “mother grain” is likely to become a staple in your household.  Granted the first time I prepared it, I was naive and followed directions.  WRONG. I learned to think outside of the box and treat it with a little love and affection.  When you love and treat your food right, it will be extra good to you.

So, let’s get started!

First, what will you need to prepare your beautiful seed?

This can be performed in one stock pot however, I prefer the large surface of a pan for the toasting process.  A pan lends to releasing moisture quickly and toasting evenly. So, these are the things I use.

•  10″ pan
•  2.5 qt stock pot
• Fine mesh strainer
• Spatula
• Chicken Stock
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup of dry Quinoa will yield approximately 3 cups cooked. That’s an easy way to remember when making a recipe or meal planning for the week.  Another great thing about Quinoa is you can make up a batch on the weekend and pair it with your meal throughout the week!  You can make an easy side dish using a few ingredients; more on that later.

For this lesson we will be using 1 cup of dry Quinoa.  Place the 1 cup of Quinoa into your fine mesh strainer and rinse.  Run your fingers through the seed to assure the coating (that can sometimes be bitter) is removed from it prior to toasting.

Once you have given it a good rinse, prepare your pan.  Let your pan warm up over medium heat and add 3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil.

Place your rinsed Quinoa into the pan.

Because of the water content your seed has recently gained, toasting times may vary depending on the day. Allow the Quinoa to toast, stirring and shaking the pan occasionally, until the delicious nutty flavor begins to waft through your kitchen. For this particular lesson, toasting took about 7 minutes.

This is what it looked like when I decided it was to my liking.

If you are using a pan to toast with, this is the time you can transfer it into your stock pot. If you are using one pot, skip the transfer and follow the rest of the instructions.

Add two cups of stock or your preferred cooking liquid.

Bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Turn down the heat to a simmer, cover with a tight fitting lid, and cook for 15 minutes.  Do not stir, do not remove the lid.  Let the magic happen.

Once the time has gone off, remove from heat and place at the back of your stove.  Do not remove the lid.  Let the Quinoa sit for five minutes.

Fluff with a fork and you have reached perfection!

Did you make this recipe?  Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear your thoughts!